The importance of water stewardship

Find out what businesses are doing to help protect our most precious natural resource — water.

Blue is the new green — water issues are taking a prominent position in the ever-changing environmental advocacy world. However, water isn’t an issue reserved for eco-organizations; water stewardship is an important part of today’s business world as well.

Recently, AT&T revealed its first ever water footprint. I often hear a lot of discussion about a company’s carbon footprint, but I’m starting to hear the phrase “water footprint” more and more. AT&T’s 2010 Sustainability Report included information about the company's water footprint and how the company will reduce its water usage in the coming years.

AT&T isn’t the only business turning its attention towards water stewardship. A new section of the MNN website, Water Works, is dedicated to all things water. William Sarni, enterprise strategy leader at Deloitte Consulting LLP, explains why water is a critical business issue in a video for the Water Works section, and Brooke Barton with Ceres discusses water scarcity issues.

“Water matters — to the broader economy and to the companies whose products, services and job creation grease our economy’s wheels. With climate change, population growth and rapid economic development, an increasing number of companies face risks: water sources drying up, more expensive water and raw materials (especially agricultural products), potential conflicts with local communities over resources and more.”